On Exciting Main Street in downtown Moab, Utah you can experience the greatest little dive bar in Utah.

World Famous Woody’s Tavern

Got Us Twisted?
After reading through the mountains of snobby tourist reviews on yelp.com and tripadvisor.com, I decided it was time to stand up for our local dive bar. I don’t know when all these jaded dive bar critics came to town but obviously they were missing the point. Woody’s isn’t an establishment that panders to the whiney needs of upscale yuppie review writers. It’s a small town bar that’s traditions date back before the town became a major tourist hub. World Famous Woody’s on Main Street is not unlike any other small town dive bar in terms of décor and food. Service, if you’re not a local, also may be somewhat sub-standard. Yeah, the beer is only 3.2% alcohol and the liquor is poured in carefully measured 1oz shots (according to Utah law). So what is it about Woody’s that makes it stand out? It’s Moab.

About Moab
Moab is a beautiful little town of 5100 people, situated next to Arches National Park in Grand County. The geography of the area attracts tens of thousands of tourists every year from around the world. Moab is a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts and hard core, off road fanatics. It boasts a wicked number of biking,hiking, and off road vehicle trails. The people of Moab are in tune with their environment, they are warm and genuine, and although they love the tourist season, they grudgingly tolerate the influx of naïve intrepid travelers that take Moab by force each and every tourist season without fail. So who could blame the locals for protecting their favorite watering hole by refusing to pander to the tourists who seem to expect it should rate along with the Waldorf Astoria?

What You See Is What You Get
Walking into Woody’s, the first thing a person would notice is the authentic rustic atmosphere. The air is cool and the beer is cold. The long wooden bar runs almost the length of the room and the bartenders act somewhat indifferent towards strangers. There are no pamphlets or brochures, no wine menu, no post cards or advertisements aside from the neon beer signs hanging on the wall and humming slightly between songs. A few pool tables are set strategically around the room creating great flow and lots of dancefloor. Local and National acts come to Woody’s Tavern to play for the huge crowds that patron the establishment on weekend evenings. It’s not hard to find some raunchy blues/rock, groovy funk, or popping dance music moving the crowd and reverberating down Main Street on a Friday night. Woody’s is central to Moab nightlife and if you begin your evening at un upscale Hotel/Restaurant, don’t be surprised if you’re pointed in the direction of Woody’s for your afterhours pleasure. The locals love it.

Leave Your Expectations at the Door
The thing about expectations is they usually lead a person to disappointment. If you’re coming to Woody’s because somebody recommended the food or the service, you’re coming for the wrong reasons. Leave your expectations at the door, come in and meet the locals. Be real and be nice. I think you’ll be surprised at how the local population takes to you. And who knows, you might feel inclined to add a good review.